Antelope Complex Wild Horse and Burro Gather

Gather Reports

Twenty-one mares were given fertility control. A total of 22 mares and 2 studs were released back to the Antelope Valley HMA. Six observers were present today.

Animals shipped: 29 studs and mares to Salt Lake

Friday, Feb. 25

The trap is located on the northwest side of the Dolly Varden Range in the Antelope Valley HMA. Gathering of horses concluded this afternoon. Fertility control will be applied to 21 mares in the morning and they will be released back to the HMA. Five observers were present today.

Animals gathered: 30 (16 studs, 7 mares, 7 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 29 studs to Salt Lake

Gather related animal deaths: 0

Non-gather related animal deaths: 0

Thursday, Feb. 24

The trap is located on the northwest side of the Dolly Varden Range in the Antelope Valley HMA. Gather operations ended at 10 a.m. as the helicopter was unable to fly due to wind. The temperature at the start of gathering was 30 degrees. Forecast is 30%-70% chance of snow through Saturday. There are five visitors today.

Animals gathered: 6 (2 studs, 2 mares, 2 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 39 mares to Palomino Valley Center

Gather related animal deaths: 0

Non-gather related animal deaths: 0

Wednesday, Feb. 23

Gather operations continue at Indian Creek in the Spruce-Pequop HMA today. The temperature at the start of gathering was 21 degrees. Forecast is clear and slight warming trend through Thursday. There are 7 visitors at the gather today.

An incident with a stud horse happened in the gather corrals today. The stud stuck his hind leg through a panel. The crew got a rope on him and worked his leg loose. The leg appeared to be OK, so he was loaded and transported to the holding corral where he is moving about freely and eating hay. The vet examined the horse and didn't find an injury. The crew's expertise in handling wild horse was apparent in their professional response to this incident. This is one of the kinds of incidents that can occur when working with horses.

Gather operations are at Indian Creek in the Spruce-Pequop HMA today. The temperature at the start of gathering was 31 degrees. High temperature today is forecast in the 40s. There are four visitors today.

Animals gathered: 56 (9 studs, 34 mares, 13 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 43 to PVC

Gather related animal deaths: 0Non-gather related animal deaths: 0

Monday, Feb. 21

Gather operations are at Indian Creek in the Spruce-Pequop HMA today. The temperature at the start of gathering was 17 degrees. High temperature today is forecast in the 30s. There are three visitors today. Body Class conditions are mostly 3s and 4s, but there were a few 2s today.

Animals gathered: 74 (20 studs, 34 mares, 20 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 43 to PVC

Gather related animal deaths: 0Non-gather related animal deaths: 0

Sunday, Feb. 20

After gathering this morning, operations will move to the Spruce-Pequop HMA this afternoon. A 1-year-old sorrel filly that came in Saturday with a previously fractured front leg was euthanized. Her poorly-healed wound was obviously painful. One 20-plus year old mare was released back to the Goshute HMA. Her survivability is better in the HMA than long-term holding. About 15 horses were kept in the gather corrals overnight. They have room to move around and are fed and watered. The contractor stays onsite overnight.

Animals gathered: 30 (8 studs, 16 mares, 6 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 41 to PVC; 34 to Gunnison

Gather related animal deaths: 0Non-gather related animal deaths: 1

Saturday, Feb. 19

Gather operations began at 8:45 a.m. in the northern end of the Goshute HMA and continued until 4:30 p.m., when it started to get dark. The average helicopter herding distance today was 3 miles with the longest herding distance 6 miles. Body class conditions are mostly 3s and 4s. As the gather moves north, we are seeing animals in better body condition. The contractor expects to move the gather site on Sunday.

Animals gathered: 108 (36 studs, 48 mares, 24 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 42 to PVC

Gather related animal deaths: 0Non-gather related animal deaths: 0

Friday, Feb. 18

Gather operations started at 8 a.m., 12 degrees, at the southern end of the Goshute HMA. At 10 a.m. operations were stopped and the trap site was relocated further north in the Goshute HMA. There was one observer present. The average herding distance was 2 miles with the maximum herding distance 4 miles. The temperature at end of gather today was 32 degrees. A cold front is forecast to come through the area during the next few day with possible snow and rain. The body class condition are mostly 3s and 4s.

One 10-year-old stud with clubbed feet on both front legs was euthanized. The APHIS vet determined the animal's condition would worsen and be continually painful.

Animals gathered: 38 (3 studs, 19 mares, 16 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 45 to PVC; 36 to Gunnison

Gather related animal deaths: 0 Non-gather related animal death: 1

Thursday, Feb. 17

The gather site was located on the southern end of the Goshute HMA. Gather operations began at 8:15 a.m. at 16 degrees. Operations were halted at 2:30 p.m. at 32 degrees. There were no observers present. The maximum drive distance was four miles with the average distance being two. Body class conditions are mostly 3s and 4s. The gather site will be relocated further north, but the operations may or may not continue at the current location in the morning. One mare died due to a cervical spinal cord injury during gather operations.

Animals gathered: 62 (30 mares, 16 studs, 16 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 0

Gather related animal death: 1

Non-gather related animal death: 0

Wednesday, Feb. 16

The gather site was located on the southern end of the Goshute HMA. Gather operations began at 7:35 a.m. at 43 degrees. Operations were halted at 9 a.m. due to high winds. There were no observers present. The maximum drive distance was two miles. Body class conditions are mostly 3s with a few 4s and 2s being present. The gather site will remain in this location tomorrow. One older mare was returned to the range.

The gather site was located on the southern end of the Goshute HMA. Gather operations began at 7:41 a.m. at 40 degrees. Operations were halted at 11:30 a.m. due to high winds. There were no observers present. The maximum drive distance was four miles with the average distance being three. Body class conditions are mostly 3s with a few 4s and 2s being present. The gather site will remain in this location tomorrow. One mare was euthanized for club foot. Four horses were returned to the range for their desired characteristics for the HMA.

The gather site was located on the southern end of the Goshute HMA. Temperature at the onset of the gather was 22 degrees with mostly sunny skies. Operations began at 8 a.m. and ceased at 3:45 p.m. There were 2 observers present. The maximum drive distance was six miles with the average distance being five. Body class conditions are mostly 4s. The gather site will remain in this location tomorrow.

Animals gathered: 113 (46 mares, 37 studs, 30 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 37 studs to Gunnison, Utah

Gather related animal deaths: 0

Non-gather related animal deaths: 0

Sunday, Feb. 13

Summary: The gather site was located on the southern end of the Goshute HMA. Temperature at the onset of the gather was 30 degrees with a high of 62 degrees. Operations began at 7:50 a.m. and ceased at 4:00 p.m. There were 3 observers present. The maximum drive distance was five miles. There was one non-gather related death. A yearling filly was euthanized due to seriously deformed front legs. There was one gather related death. A yearling stud was euthanized due to a broken neck after hitting a panel during gather operations. The gather site will remain in this location tomorrow.

Animals gathered: 82 (34 mares, 32 studs, 16 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 32 (19 mares, 13 yearlings)

Gather related animal deaths: 1

Non-gather related animal deaths:1

Saturday, Feb. 12

Summary: The gather site was located on the west side of the Dolly Varden Springs area within the Antelope Valley HMA. Temperature at the onset of the gather was 32 degrees with a high of 59 degrees. There were no observers present. The maximum drive distance was five miles. The gather site was relocated to the southern end of Goshute HMA at 3:30 p.m. and the gather site will remain for tomorrow.

Animals gathered: 44 (18 mares, 13 studs, 13 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 78 (35 studs to Gunnison, Utah and 43 to Palomino Valley Center, of which 26 were mares and 17 were yearlings).

Gather related animal deaths: 0

Non-gather related animal deaths:0

Friday, Feb. 11

Summary: The gather site is in Curry Canyon on the west side of the Dolly Varden Range. The temperature at start of gather was 18 degrees F., warming to 50 degrees by mid-day. Body condition of gathered horses is mostly 3s and 4s with a few 2s. Nine visitors were at the gather today. A filly was euthanized after being kicked by another horse in the gather corrals, which broke her back left leg.

Animals gathered: 74 (26 studs, 30 mares, 18 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 34 to Palomino Valley Center

Gather related animal death: 1 filly, broken back leg, euthanized.

Thursday, Feb. 10

Summary: The gather site was located in the Dolly Varden Springs area of the Antelope Valley HMA for the morning. After 10 horses were gathered, the trap site was moved to the west, about 10 miles east of Currie. Gather operations resumed and horses were gathered, taken to the holding facility, but will not be sorted until the morning. The temperature at the onset of the gather was seven degrees with a high in the low 40s. There were four observers present. Horses gathered in the morning were mostly body class 3s and 4s with a few 2s. No injuries to report.

It was discovered that a mare gathered yesterday had been injured by a gunshot wound in her upper left leg. The on-site veterinarian conducted a health assessment at the trap site yesterday and observed a puncture wound in her upper left leg (left shoulder). The mare was transported to the gather holding facility, placed in a separate pen from the other gathered horses and monitored closely by the on-site veterinarian. This morning, she spun around in the corral and broke her front left leg. She was humanely euthanized as a result. Upon closer examination, the vet determined the puncture wound was actually a gunshot wound, and was a major contributing factor to the break. BLM law enforcement rangers are on the scene at the holding facility and have initiated an investigation of the gunshot to the mare.

Animals gathered: 27 (6 studs, 14 mares, 7 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 47 to Palomino Valley Center; 36 studs to Gunnison

Non-gather related animal death: 1

Wednesday, Feb. 9

Summary: The gather site was located in the Dolly Varden Springs area of the Antelope Valley HMA. Temperature at the onset of the gather was 13 degrees with a high of 32 degrees. There was one media observer present. Operations halted at 3:30 p.m. Horses gathered today were mostly body class 3s with a few 2s and 4s. The maximum drive distance was five miles with the average being three and a half. There were no injuries to report. The gather site will remain for tomorrow.

Summary: The gather site was located in the Dolly Varden Springs area of the Antelope Valley HMA. Temperatures at the gather site were in the low 20s to mid 30s with isolated snow flurries throughout the day. There were no observers present and operations halted at 1:30 due to weather conditions. Horses gathered today were mostly body class 3s. Two yearlings were separated from their bands and roped by wranglers into the corrals with no incident. There were no injuries to report. The gather site was moved southeast of the morning’s site at 8 a.m. and will remain through tomorrow.

Animals gathered: 56 (24 mares, 18 studs, 14 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 0

Gather related animal deaths: 0

Non-gather related animal deaths:0

Monday, Feb. 7

Summary: Elko District assumed operational control today. Gather operations were halted at 10:30 a.m. due to high winds. There were no horses gathered today. Three horses were released back to the range.

Summary: Temperature at the onset of the gather was 31 degrees with highs in the 40’s. Body class conditions are mostly 3s and 4s. Maximum drive distance was approximately six miles. There was one media representative present. Gather operations will be handed to the Elko District starting Monday, Feb. 7.

Animals gathered: 16 horses (6 studs, 5 mares, 5 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 0

Gather related animal deaths today: 0

Non-gather related animal deaths today:0

Saturday, Feb. 5

Summary: Temperature at the onset of the gather was 26 degrees with highs in the 40’s. Body class conditions are mostly 4s and 5s. Maximum drive distance was approximately five miles. There was one media representative present. Gather operations were halted at 11:30 due to wind conditions and the gather site will be relocated tomorrow.

Animals gathered: 19 horses (7 studs, 7 mares, 5 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 36 to Gunnison, Utah

Gather related animal deaths today: 0

Non-gather related animal deaths today:0

Friday, Feb. 4

Summary: Temperature at the onset of the gather was 22 degrees with highs in the 40’s. Body class conditions are mostly 3s with some 4s. Maximum drive distance was approximately eight miles. There was one public and one media representative present. Gather operations were halted at 2:30 p.m. and the gather site will be relocated tomorrow.

Animals gathered: 9 horses (7 studs, 1 mares, 1 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 38 to Palomino Valley Center

Gather related animal deaths today: 0

Non-gather related animal deaths today:0

Thursday, Feb. 3

Summary: Temperature at the onset of the gather was 16 degrees with highs in the 20s and 30s. Body class conditions are mostly 3s. Maximum drive distance was approximately seven and one half miles. There was two public representatives present.

Animals gathered: 28 horses (9 studs, 10 mares, 9 yearlings)

Animals Shipped: 0

Gather related animal deaths today: 0

Non-gather related animal deaths today:0

Wednesday, Feb. 2

Summary: Temperature at the onset of the gather was 11 degrees with highs in the 20s and 30s. Body class conditions are mostly 3s. Maximum drive distance was approximately seven miles. Gather operations halted at approximately 1:30 p.m. due to wind and relocation to new gather site. There was one public and two media representatives present. Gather site being relocated tomorrow.

Animals gathered: 30 horses (11 studs, 12 mares, 7 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 42 to Palomino Valley Center

Gather related animal deaths today: 0

Non-gather related animal deaths today:0

Tuesday,Feb. 1

Summary: Overnight lows expected in the single digits with daily high temperatures in the 20s and 30s. Body class conditions are mostly 3s. Maximum drive distance was approximately seven miles. Gather operations halted at approximately 1:30 p.m. due to wind and relocation to new gather site. There was one public and one media representative present.

Animals gathered: 16 horses (9 studs, 3 mares, 4 yearlings)

Animalsshipped: 33 to Gunnison, Utah

Gather related animal deaths today: 0

Non-gather related animal deaths today:0

Monday,Jan. 31

Summary: Overnight lows expected in the single digits with daily high temperatures in the 20s and 30s. Some snow accumulation. Depths vary based on location and drifting. There are no observers today.

Animals gathered: 52 horses (18 studes, 23 mares, 11 yearlings)

Animalsshipped: 35 to Palomino Valley Center

Gather related animal deaths today: 0

Non-gather related animal deaths today:0

Sunday,Jan. 30

Summary: Helicopter down for routine maintenance, no operations today.

Animals gathered: 0

Animalsshipped: 52 to Palomino Valley Center

Gather related animal deaths today: 0

Non-gather related animal deaths today:0

Saturday,Jan. 29

Summary: Sunny and warm temperatures for today's hosted observation day. Two members of the public and 4 media representatives are present. Starting temperature today is 20 degrees. Animals gathered today were in generally condition 3 with a few 4s. The longest drive distance was 7 miles. No operations scheduled for tomorrow due to helicopter maintenance.

Animals gathered: 55 (15 studs, 26 mares, 14 yearlings)

Animals shipped: 35 to Gunnison, Utah

Gather related animal deaths today: 0

Non-gather related animal deaths today:0

Friday,Jan. 28

Summary: Sunny and warmer temperatures for today's hosted observation day. The trap was moved to a new site in the morning. Three members of the public and 4 media representatives are present. Starting temperature today is 22 degrees. Animals gathered today were in generally condition 3s. The longest drive distance was 6 miles.

Summary: Sunny and cool conditions for today's hosted observation day. The temperature at the start of the gather was 21 degrees F. By mid-day, the temperatures were in the 40s. Seven media are present and three members of the public. The body condition of the animals gathered today is mostly 3s with a few in the sub-3 range. Some mares in this area were a little heavier with foal than the last gather site. While the onsite veterinarian and the BLM staff determined there isn't reason for concern at this point, they will monitor this closely. The longest herding distance by helicopter was about 6 miles. One animal was euthanized after it slipped and fell in the trailer, breaking its pelvis.

Summary: Weather conditions continue to be the same. Body class conditions are mostly 3s. Longest herding distance by helicopter was about 6 miles. One member of the public was on site to watch the gather activities.

Summary: Weather conditions continue to be the same. Five wild horses were caught by rope today by wranglers on horseback. This method was used in this instance because this was a small, isolated band of animals about 30 miles from the gather corrals. Moving the gather corrals that far for 5 animals wasn't feasible. The body condition class of these animals are mostly 3s. One member of the public and one media representative were on site to watch the gather activities.

Summary: Overnight lows are expected to be in the teens with daily high temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s. General condition of the wild horses brought in today is mostly body class 3 on the Henneke score. Two members of the public and one media representative were on site to watch the activities.

Summary:Helicopter gather operations started today. Daytime temps were in the high 30s/low 40s (F.) with overnight lows expected to be in the teens. One member of the public and one media representative were on site to watch the gather activities. The animals are more scattered that what would be normally expected. The body class conditions of the gathered animals are mostly 3s and 4s on the Henneke Score.